Conveyer



July 6, 1937.

H. R. GOTTHARDT ET AL,

CON VEYER Filed Dec. 16, 1955 a Sheets-Sheet 1 ll Ill l ILL/AM E. OV Y July 6, 1937. H. R. GOTTHARDT ET AL CONVEYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1935 y 1937- H. R. GOTTHARDT ET AL 2,086,160

CONVEYER Filed Dec. 16, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ivu cn'vboco Farm/10f W 5. 64m Maw Patented July 6, 1937 NETED STA CONVEYER Henry R. Gotthardt, Louisville, Ky., and William E. (Jain, Jeifersonvillc, lndp, assignors to L- gan Co. Inc., Louisville, Ky, a corporation of Kentucky Application December 16, 1935, Serial No. 54,720

12 Claims.

As stated in the copending application referred to, it has been the common practice for several years to manufacture strip steel in coil form instead of the previous practice of making up the steel in individual sheets and nearly all mills are a 19 equipped with conveyors for handling the relatively heavy coils of strip steel. Such conveyers ordinarily are of the troughed roller type and coils are supported on the rollers with the axes of the coils extending longitudinally with respect to the conveyer whereby it is urged by gravity to the proper position for movement along the conveyer. At intervals along such conveyer means usually are employed for discharging a coil of strip steel laterally from the conveyer, and this must be 20 accomplished by mechanical means and not by manual effort since the coils ordinarily weigh from 3,000 to 25,000 lbs. each. The usual practice has been to provide the troughed conveyer with a relatively movable section extending throughout the width of the conveyer and pivotally supported at the side from which the coil is to be discharged from the conveyer. Mechanical means is provided for lifting the opposite side of the section in order that the rollers 'at the discharging side of the section may be inclined downwardly and outwardly with respect to the conveyer to permit the coil to roll by gravity from the conveyer. The electric or other power means employed for operating the movable section is called upon to elevate the entire weight of the coils as well as a substantial portion of the weight of the movable conveyer section, and such section must be swung through a substantial arc before the coil will roll from the conveyer. V

In the copending application referred to there has been described and claimed a conveyer adapted to accomplish the results referred to,-

55 coil has been discharged therefrom, thus permitting the use of a much lighter power plant for accomplishing the desired results.

With the prior construction referred to, it has been found that where the discharging of the coil laterally from the conveyer takes place from a point where the conveyer is longitudinally inclined as is true in the usual gravity conveyer the movable conveyer section retains the same longitudinal incline when tilted laterally to dis charge the coil, and accordingly the latter does not roll straight from the conveyer with its axis remaining parallel to the peripheral center of the main conveyer. Generally speaking it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a conveyer of the general character referred to wherein the coil, as it moves laterally from the main conveyer is discharged straight with respect thereto, that is, the coil rolls directly at right angles away from the main conveyer with its axis remaining parallel to the longitudinal center of the conveyer.

More specifically, an important object of the present invention is to provide a conveyer of the character referred to having means for lowering the higher end of the conveyer discharging section to a horizontal position before the rollers at one side of the conveyer section are tilted downwardly and outwardly with respect to the main conveyer, thereby causing the coil to roll straight away from the conveyer.

A further object is to provide a main movable section in the conveyer line pivotally supported at one end and provided with means for changing the elevation of the other end to level the main movable section and toprovide such main section with an auxiliary movable section pivotally supported adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal center of the conveyer and having its outer edge movable downwardly to incline the rollers downwardly and outwardly away from the conveyer to permit the removal of the coils or other articles laterally from the conveyer by gravity. V A further object is to provide novel power means for the main and auxiliary movable sections having coordinated operating means whereby the free end of the main movable section is moved to a position wherein such section is longitudinally level, after which the outer edge of the auxiliary movable section is lowered to discharge an article from'the conveyer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings we have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing- Figure 1 is a'plan view, a portion of the main conveyer being omitted for the purpose of illustration,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away, and the lateral take-off conveyer being omitted,

Figure 3 is an end elevation showing the main stationary conveyer removed, parts being broken away, and

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 2 the numeral designates a conventional troughed roller conveyer having suitable supporting rails I I carrying gravity rollers l2. The conveyer It] forms the main stationary conveyer with which the present invention is associated.

What may be termed a'main movable conveyer section is indicated as a whole by the numeral l3, and as will become apparent, this section includes an auxiliary section movable relatively with respect to the main movable section for a purpose to be described. The main movable section |3 employs a supporting frame made up of side rails l4 and I5 connected at one end by a cross member I6. Adjacent said end of the rails l4 and I5, these rails are provided with a relatively heavy transverse shaft ll journaled in bearings I8 carried by channel members I9. These channel members are mounted on a suitable supporting structure 20, as shown in Figure 2. It will be apparent that the supporting frame including the rails Hi and I5 is adapted to swing about the axis of the shaft H. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the side rails I4 and I5 slope downwardly in the direction, of the shaft H, the angle of inclination being the same as the angle of inclination of the stationary conveyer l0, such conveyer being inclined in order that coils of strip steel or other articles on the conveyer will move by gravity toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2. Means to be described control the vertical position of the free ends of the side rails l4 and IS.

The main movable conveyer |3 is made up of a pair of longitudinal sections 2 and 22, the latter of which may be termed an auxiliary movable section for the reason that its outer edge portion moves downwardly in a manner to be described to permit the discharging of articles laterally with respect to the conveyer. 'The section 2| comprises a plurality of rollers 23 inclined downwardly and inwardly as shown in Figures 3 and 4- and rotatably supported by side rails 24. These rails, in turn, are anchored with respect to each other and supported by suitable transverse members such as channels 25 and these channels, in

turn, are supported by suitable legs 26 and 21 resting upon and secured to transverse supporting members 28 having their ends supported by the respective side frame members l4 and I5.

Thus it will be apparent that the conveyer section 2| is rigidly supported in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and such section forms a continuation of one of the longitudinal sections of.

the main conveyer H].

The auxiliary conveyer section 22 also comprises a plurality of rollers 29 having their axes inclined downwardly and inwardly. whereby they articles moving from the main conveyer Ill. The articles thus moving on to the main movable section I 3 may be limited in their movement by a bumper 30 spring pressed as at 3| to cushion the stopping of the heavy coils. Any suitable supporting means may be provided for the bumper, such as the supporting means generally indicated by the numeral 32, the bumper forming no part of the present invention.

The rollers 29 of the auxiliary section 22 are supported by rails 33 and 34, the former of which is provided with a plurality of suitable cars 35 to receive a shaft 36. This shaft passes through brackets 31 mounted on the transverse supports 28. The rails 33 and 34 are fixed with respect to each other and supported by cross members 38 preferably in the form of spaced pairs of channels, as clearly shown in Figure 2. Each pair of these channels rotatably supports a plurality of anti-friction rollers 39 for a purpose to be ,described.

Suitable means are employed for swinging the free end of the main movable section upwardly and downwardly and for controlling the angular positions of the rollers 29 of the auxiliary section 22. A motor 40 is employed as the source of power and has its shaft coupled as at 4| to the input shaft of a conventional speed reducing gearing arranged within a suitable housing 52. The gearing within this housing is not shown since it forms per se no part of the present invention, conventional gearing being employed. The driven or output shaft 43 of the reduction gearing may be supported by a suitable bearing 44 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The motor, reduction gearing and bearing 44 are supported on a plate 45 carried by a suitable cradle arranged beneath the main movable section l3. This cradle may include longitudinal supporting channels 45 carried by vertically extending legs 41 secured at their upper ends to transverse supports 48 which are in turn secured to the respective frame members l4 and- I5, as shown in Figure 4. Accordingly the motor 40, speed reducing gearing 42 and associated elements are rigidly fixed with respect to the main movable section l3 to move therewith.

The driven shaft 43 carries a pinion 49 meshing with a gear 5|] mounted on a shaft 5| extending throughout the greater portion of the length of the main movable section L3. This shaft may be supported in suitable bearings, one of these bearings being indicated by the numeral 52 and secured to a transverse beam 53 forming a part of the main frame of the section l3. Additional bearings 54 are provided for the shaft 5| and these bearings may be supported on transverse members 55 secured at their ends to the side frame members l4 and |5.

The shaft 5| carries a plurality of cams 56 each preferably arranged adjacent one of the bearings for the shaft 5|. Each cam has a low point 51 and an eccentric portion 58 leading up to a high cam portion which is concentric with the axis of the shaft 5| approximately from the point 59 to the point 60. Each cam 56 corresponds in position to one set of rollers 39 and contacts with those rollers to support the outer edge of the auxiliary movable section 22. The cams 56 normally occupy the position shown in Figure 4 and are rotatable from such position in a counter-clockwise direction, and accordingly it willbe apparent that the high portions of the cams between the points 60 and 59 support the auxiliary sections 22 against downward movement throughout a substantial portionof the revolution of the cams 56. The purpose of this operation will become apparent later. Between the low point 57 and the high point 6%, each cam is provided with a relatively sharply inclined portion 6| which is operative for returning the auxiliary section 22 to normal position after it has been lowered to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4. r

The transverse member 53 forms a portion of an auxiliary rectangular frame including an outer transverse frame member 62 arranged parallel to the member 53. The frame members I4 and I5 extend throughout the width of the auxiliary frame section and the latter includes frame sections 63 and 64 arranged outwardly of and parallel to the frame members it and 55. The frame members it, Hi, 53 and 64% carry c0- axial bearings 65 supporting a shaft t5 on which is mounted a bevel gear 61. This gear meshes with a similar gear 68 carried by the shaft adjacent the gear 58. Accordingly it will be apparent that the meshing of the gears 59 and 5E2 not only rotates the shaft 5! to operate the cams 56 but also simultaneously rotates the shaft 65, and the operation of this shaft governs the elevation of the free end of the supporting frame.

The shaft 66 carries a pair of cams 69 arranged respectively between the frame members l4 and 63 and between the frame members l5 and 64. Beneath the shaft transverse supporting beams 10 are arranged as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and support pairs of bearings ll. Each pair of bearings supports a pair of shafts i2 and a wheel 13 is journaled on each of these shafts. Each of the wheels referred to is flanged, and each pair of wheels is operative in conjunction with one of the cams 69, the latter normally occupying the position shown in Figure 2 whereby the conveyer section l3 slopes downwardly in continuation of the slope of the conveyer l9. In order that both rollers '33 of each pair may carry a portion of the normal load, each cam 69 is provided with a concentric high portion extending substantially from the point it to approximately the point 75, as shown in Figure 2. The opposite side of each cam t9 is provided with a concentric low portion extending between the approximate points l6 and if. Between the concentric portions, each cam is provided with an eccentric portion '18 as clearly shown in Figure 2, and at the opposite side, each cam is provided with a lift portion 19 which operates to elevate the free end of the main movable section as will become apparent.

The cams 55 operate to lower the outer edge of the auxiliary section 22 to permit a coil of strip steel to roll laterally from the conveyer and any desired means may be provided to receive the Coil as it is discharged from the conveyer. In the present instance an inclined plate or skid is indicated as being supported on suitable beams 8| secured to the upper ends of supporting posts 82. The skid 8! is preferably arranged in the common plane of the tops of the rollers 29 when the auxiliary section is in its lower position as indicated in dotted lines in Figure e.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The main movable section it as a whole is supported at one end by the shaft ii and at the other end by the engagement of the cams 69 against the wheels 13. When the parts are in the normal position shown in Figure 2, the concentric portion of each cam 69 between the points 14 and I5 lies below the shaft 66, and the axis of the shaft 66 lies in a vertical plane equidistantly spaced from the axes of the shaft 12. Accordingly the concentric high portions of each cam will contact with both rollers E3 of the corresponding. pair, thus affording adequate support for the free end of the main supporting frame. When the parts are in such position, the movable section it forms a continuation of the main conveyer it so as to permit articles onthe latter to move directly to the movable section.

It will be apparent that when a coil of strip steel moving on the conveyer reaches the bumper 38 it will be stopped in its movement, after which the coil may be discharged laterally from the movable conveyer t3. This conveyer need not be at the end of the main conveyer but may be at any point intermediate the ends thereof with some means equivalent to the bumper 30 employed for stopping the movement of the coil. Assumingthat a coil is in position on the movable section I 3 ready to be laterally discharged therefrom, the motor 40 will be started to drive the pinion 49 through the reduction gearing t2, and the pinion 49 meshes with the gear 50 to relatively slowly rotate the shaft 5i. The bevel pinion 68 carried by the shaft 55 meshes with the bevel pinion 6? to rotate the shaft 66.

As previously stated the auxiliary conveyer section 22 is supported by the cams 55 which normally occupy the position shown in Figure 4E, and the concentric high portion of each cam extends between the points 59 and 68, or throughout at least degrees. Since the shaft 5! will be driven in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in. Figure 4, the cams 56 will rotate through approximately one-half revolution before the auxiliary section 22 will partake of any downward movement. In the meantime, the cams 69 will be rotated in a clockwise direction starting from the position shown in Figure 2. Under such con- 69, between the points it and "H, will come into engagement first with one of the associated rollers i3 and then with both of such rollers. As soon as such low portion contacts with one of the rollers E3, the free end of the supporting frame will partake of no further downward movement, and at such time the section 53 will be in a horizontal position. Accordingly it will be apparent that during the first 186 degrees of rotating movement of the cams ill the free end of the section it will have partalren of all of its downward movement, and since the shafts 5i and 65 rotate at the same speed because of the equal size of the gears 6i and 68, it will be apparent that the concentric high portions of the earns 55 will support the section 22 in normal position until the free end of the section l3 reaches its lower limit of movement.

Further rotation of the cams 55 will then lower the outer edge of the auxiliary section 22, the rollers 39 contacting with the eccentric portions 58 of the cams 56. During the lowering of the free edge of the auxiliary section 22 the free ly horizontal, the free edge of the auxiliary section 22 will be lowered to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4, whereupon the coil of strip material is free to roll laterally from the conveyer to the skid 8!; to be disposed of as may be desired.

The motor isthen operative for restoring the parts to normal position. By driving the shafts 5| and 66 in the same direction as previously stated, the lift portions BI of the earns 56 will elevate the free edge of the section 22 to normal position while the lift portions 19 of the cams 69 will elevate the main section 3 to its normal inclined position shown in Figure 2 with the section I3 arranged as a continuation of the conveyer ID. The motor 40 is then stopped with the sets of cams in the respective positions shown in Figures 2 and 4.

As previously stated it has been the conventional practice to pivotally support a section of a conveyer extending entirely thereacross and to elevate the free edge of such section and thus lift the section bodily together with the article thereon. Where the conveyer is employed in connection with relatively heavy articles such as coils of strip steel, it will be apparent that a substantial amount of power is necessary to elevate the substantial weight of the movable conveyer section and the article thereon. Moreover, the swinging movement of the tilting conveyer section must take place through a substantial arc of movement in order to incline one set of rollers sulficiently to permit the article to roll laterally from the conveyer.

It will be apparent that the present construction eliminates the necessity for lifting the weight of a conveyer section and an article thereon, the discharging of the article being accomplished by lowering a tilting conveyer section extending only half way across the conveyer and by lowering the load on the conveyer. Thus much smaller power plants may be employed and the construction simplified as will be apparent. Moreover, the lowering of the main movable section to a longitudinal horizontal position before lowering the outer edge of the auxiliary conveyer section insures the proper discharging of a coil from the conveyer, the coil moving laterally from the conveyer with its axis remaining parallel to the conveyer.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means pivotally supporting said section for longitudinal pivotal movement, means for effecting said longitudinal pivotal movement, said section including an auxiliary movable section pivotally supported for lateral inclination, and means for varying the lateral inclination of said auxiliary section.

2. A conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means supporting said section on a pivot axis transversely thereof, means for moving said section about said pivot axis to efiect'movement of said section between inclined and substantially horizontal positions, said section including an auxiliary movable section pivotedon an axis extending longitudinally of the conveyer, and means for varying the lateral inclination of said auxiliary section.

3. A conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means supporting said section on a pivot axis transversely thereof, means for moving said section about said pivot axis to effect movement of said section between inclined and horizontal positions, said section including an auxiliary movable section pivoted on an axis extending longitudinally of the conveyer and arranged substantially centrally of said main movable section, and means for varying the elevation of the outer edge portion of said auxiliary section to alter the inclination of such section.

4. A conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means supporting said section on a pivot axis transversely thereof, means for moving said section about said pivot axis to effect movement of said section between inclined and horizontal positions, said section including an auxiliary movable section pivoted on an axis extending longitudinally of the conveyer and arranged substantially centrally of said main movable section, a shaft extending longitudinally of said auxiliary section, means for rotating said shaft, and cam means carried by said shaft for supporting the outer edge portion of said auxiliary section and for varying the elevation thereof upon rotation of said shaft.

5. An inclined conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means supporting said section adjacent one end thereof for pivotal movement to change the longitudinal inclination thereof, a shaft arranged adjacent the free end of said section, cam means carried by said shaft for supporting the free end of said section, means for rotating said shaft to change the longitudinal inclination of said section, said section being divided longitudinally thereof to' form at one side thereof an auxiliary movable section, and means for altering the inclination of said auxiliary section laterally with respect to said main section. V

6. An inclined conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means for supporting said section on a pivot axis arranged adjacent one end and extending transversely thereof, a shaft extending transversely of said section adjacent the other end thereof, cam means carried by said shaft for supporting the free end of said section, means for rotating said shaft to move said section from an inclined to a horizontal position,,said section being divided longitudinally thereof to form at one side an auxiliary conveyer section, and means for altering the inclination of said auxiliary section laterally with respect to said main section.

7. An inclined conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means for supporting said section on a pivot axis arranged adjacent one end and extending transversely thereof, a shaft extending transversely of said section adjacent the other end thereof, cam means carried by said shaft for supporting the free end of said section, means for rotating said shaft to move said section from an inclined to a horizontal position, said section being divided longitudinally thereof to form at one side an auxiliary conveyer section, means for pivotally supporting said auxiliary section on an axis extending longitudinally with respect thereto, and means for turning said auxiliary section about its pivot axis to vary the inclination of said sec-- tion. a

8. An inclined conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means for supporting said section on a pivot axis arranged adjacent one end and extending transversely thereof, a shaft extending transversely of said section adjacent the other end thereof, cam means carried by said shaft for supporting the free end of said section, means for rotating said shaft to move said section from an inclined to a horizontal position, said section being divided longitudinally thereof to form at one side an auxiliary conveyer section, means for pivotally supporting said auxiliary section on an axis arranged longitudinally thereof and spaced from its outer edge, a shaft extending longitudinally of said auxiliary section adjacent the outer edge thereof, means for rotating said last named shaft, and cam means carried by said last named shaft for supporting the outer edge of said auxiliary section and operative for varying the elevation thereof upon rotation of said last named shaft.

9. An inclined conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith, means supporting said section on a pivot axis transversely of said section adjacent one end thereof, a shaft arranged transversely of said section adjacent the other end thereof, cam means carried by said shaft for supporting the free end of said section, said section being divided longitudinally to form at one side thereof an auxiliary section, means pivotally supporting said auxiliary section on an axis arranged longitudinally with respect to said auxiliary section adjacent the inner edge thereof, a shaft extending longitudinally of said auxiliary section adjacent the outer edge thereof, cam means carried by said second named shaft and supporting the free edge portion of said auxiliary section, and common drive means for said shafts.

10. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 9 whereinsaid first named cam means is provided with a concentric portion normally supporting the free end of said main section inclined in alinement with the conveyer and having an eccentric portion operative for changing said main section from its inclined position to a horizontal position, said second named cam means having a concentric portion supporting said auxiliary section in normal position during the changing of the longitudinal inclination of said main section and having an eccentric portion operative after said main section has assumed a horizontal position for changing the inclination of said auxiliary section.

11. An inclined troughed roller conveyer having a main movable section in alinement therewith and having at each side thereof a set of) means for supporting the outer edge portion of said auxiliary section and operative for lowering the latter to reverse the'angle of inclination of said set of rollers.

12. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 11 provided with a common power source for simultaneously rotating said cam means, said first named cam means being provided with an eccentric portion for moving said main section from its normal inclined position to a horizontal position, said second named cam means having a concentric portion supporting said set of rollers in normal position and an eccentric portion operative for lowering the outer edge of said auxiliary section after said main section has reached a horizontal position.

HENRY R. GOTTHARDT. WILLIAM E. CAIN. 

